Coronavirus explainer: Potential effects of COVID on liver health; know the key indicators

Coronavirus attack leads to an extensive range of effects on the human body. This is because of the affinity of the virus for angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is expressed on different human cells. Few months after the novel virus attack was declared pandemic, researchers and health experts began to see the effects of the virus on different body organs; until then it was assumed that the viral attack is limited to the respiratory tract only.

COVID affects all major organs of the body like heart, lungs, stomach, and kidney.

While only a fraction of people infected with the virus get serious symptoms, people with ongoing health complications have been affected most by the virus.

Viral infections have always posed risk for liver health. Hepatitis infections are known to cause serious damage to the liver.

Talking about coronavirus, its multiorgan involvement is directly linked to the ease of binding to the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Several research studies have found the presence of these receptor cells in the cholangiocytes in the liver bile duct cells which facilitates the entry of the virus which further replicates leading to dysregulation of the liver function.

During COVID, the level of several enzymes in the liver elevates. Presence of these enzymes in a higher amount in the liver means it is damaged.

As per a study, COVID-19 associated hepatic injury should be defined as Alanine amino transaminase or Aspartate amino transaminase exceeding 3 times the upper limit of the normal value, and ALP, γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase or total bilirubin of these enzymes the patients were categorised as hepatocellular, cholestatic and mixed type.

In addition to this, people with chronic liver conditions can be severely affected by the viral attack. With serious health complications already in the body, the immune system which is already highly compromised is unable to protect the body and thus the risk of the infection increases.

Apart from these, the medications that are administered to treat COVID can also pose a serious risk for the health of the liver.

The incidence of severity on liver due to COVID is associated with comorbidities. Studies have found a condition called hepatic steatosis in most of the liver samples of COVID patients. Hepatic steatosis is an excessive buildup of fats in the liver. Hepatic steatosis is mostly associated with metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

Read: Long COVID symptom- When to see a doctor for extreme tiredness and fatigue

One should be aware of the common symptoms of COVID like:

Cold

Headache

Fever

Stomach or abdominal pain

Diarrhea

Pain in the muscle and joint areas

Nausea and vomiting

Apart from these signs one should also be aware of the long term effects of COVID, like:

Lack of concentration

Loss of appetite

Loss of smell and taste

COVID toes

Skin rash

Irregular heart beat

Persisting issues in the gut